Embodiments herein generally relate to electrophotographic printers and copiers or reproduction machines, and more particularly, concerns customer replaceable units that include serial numbers within their memory, where the serial numbers are utilized to identify the specific machines in which the customer replaceable units were used and to track proper usage of such customer replaceable units.
Printers and other printing devices (facsimile machines, copiers, multi-function machines, etc.) constantly need replacement of various printing supplies and devices. Often, businesses contract with service agencies that keep the printing devices operating properly and provide the necessary supplies to allow the printing devices to perform their operations. In order to control costs and ensure that various items are utilized as intended by the service agencies, the embodiments herein allow parts that are often replaced by the customer (customer replaceable units) to be tracked more easily through the use of serial number information maintained within the memories of the customer replaceable units.
For example, one computer-implemented method embodiment herein stores serial numbers within memories of customer replaceable units that are used within printing devices. The customer replaceable units or modules can comprise, for example, photoreceptors, fusers, drums, rollers, toner cartridges, ink cartridges, etc., and are items that are usually replaced by either a customer or an end user (and do not require the services of a trained service technician). When one or more of the customer replaceable units (e.g. toner cartridges) are replaced, the method causes the printing devices to output to a computer the serial numbers of the customer replaceable units that are replaced. The method then analyzes the serial numbers using the computer to determine which specific customer replaceable unit was used within a specific printing device.
Thus, for example, with embodiments herein if a help desk event is outstanding for the specific printing device, the method closes the help desk event if the specific customer replaceable unit resolves the help desk event (using the computer). The method can also determine whether the specific customer replaceable unit was used within multiple printing devices, using the computer. The method can also determine whether the customer replaceable units are used with intended specific printing devices or other non-intended printing devices.
The method measures the amount of useful life (e.g., amount of toner) remaining within customer replaceable units that are removed from the specific printing device. This allows the method to use the computer to determine the efficiency with which the specific printing device utilizes the customer replaceable units (based on the amount of useful life remaining within the customer replaceable units removed from the specific printing device).
Other embodiments include a computerized system that has a first computer that stores serial numbers within memories of customer replaceable units that are used within printing devices. A second computer receives output from a plurality of printing devices, when one or more of the customer replaceable units are replaced. This “output” comprises the serial numbers of the customer replaceable units that are replaced. The second computer analyzes the serial numbers to determine which specific customer replaceable unit was used within a specific printing device.
If a help desk event is outstanding for the specific printing device, the second computer automatically closes the help desk event (if the specific customer replaceable unit resolves the help desk event). The second computer can also determine whether the specific customer replaceable unit was used within multiple printing devices. The second computer can similarly determine whether customer replaceable units are used within the intended specific printing devices.
The second computer can also measure the amount of useful life remaining within customer replaceable units removed from the specific printing device and determine the efficiency with which the specific printing device utilizes the customer replaceable units based on the amount of useful life remaining within the customer replaceable units removed from the specific printing device.
Additionally, the embodiments herein include a printing device that comprises at least one printing engine (having the customer replaceable units), at least one engine controller operatively connected to the printing engine, at least one computer storage medium operatively connected to the engine controller, and an input/output interface operatively connected to the engine controller. The customer replaceable units comprise a memory unit and each of the memory units within the customer replaceable units stores a unique corresponding serial number for that unit. The serial number is stored within the memory unit at the time of manufacturing the customer replaceable units.
The engine controller reads the serial number from the memory unit and stores the serial number within the computer storage medium. The input/output interface provides serial numbers of the customer replaceable units to an external computer when one or more of the customer replaceable units needs replacement. These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description.